Band:	Carnifex
Album:	Necromanteum
Style:	Deathcore
Release date:	October 2023

01. Torn In Two
02. Death's Forgotten Children [feat. Tom Barber]
03. Necromanteum
04. Crowned In Everblack
05. The Pathless Forest
06. How The Knife Gets Twisted
07. Architect Of Misanthropy
08. Infinite Night Terror
09. Bleed More
10. Heaven And Hell All At Once

Heaven and hell all at once, indeed. 

Carnifex occupy an odd place in the deathcore realm; producing some of the best albums in both the OG and new schools of deathcore, they also possess a knack for experimentation that has meant the band have straddled the shifting tides without jumping on any bandwagons. Nevertheless, they rarely get the spotlight many of their peers have. Necromanteum is a powerful statement of intent, again asking the question in loud terms, "why aren't Carnifex bigger?" 

Starting off on the best foot forward, Necromanteum grabs your attention with the riff-roaring "Torn In Two", one of the strongest tracks Carnifex have produced. By the time the third song, the title track, rolls around, you will notice the band's use of symphonic elements complements the music perfectly, adding a level of drama akin to how a horror film uses these elements, making for a sensory experience. The band manage to retain this latter element throughout the album, without it sounding forced or old by the time "Heaven And Hell All At Once" draws to a close. It is songs like the closing track that see the band delve into and revel in their history, producing material that feels old school yet fresh. 

With Arford and Tiemann producing some of their best work in years on Necromanteum on tracks like the aforementioned "Torn In Two" and "Bleed More", the rest of the band raise their game to ensure they aren't left behind. Lewis's low-end rumbling may not be the best in the genre, but he can more than hold his own, with "Architect Of Misanthropy" an excellent reminder of his quality. 

Enabling the band to balance all these conflicting elements (from the symphonic, to the retro-yet-fresh feel) is the top-quality production work on Necromanteum. Managing to compile all these disparate elements into one coherent, and powerful, sonic brew is what elevates this album above many of its peers. However, it does come at the price of it losing that elusive personality and charm that comes with a more raw aesthetic. 

If it is sounding like I have discovered the holy grail of deathcore, let me pour some cold water on that idea, for, as good as the album is, there are some more shortcomings that hinder it somewhat. One of those shortcomings is the limitations placed on what the rhythm section can do within the confines of the songs. Cameron is restricted to very rigid drum patterns on tracks such as "How The Knife Gets Twisted", lacking much in the way of personality. Cameron, however, gets the better deal out of the two, with Calderon all but inaudible for much of the time. 

The other shortcoming comes with the sequencing of the tracklisting; "Torn In Two" sets a level of expectation that, while coming close to matching on some occasions, the rest of the album doesn't match. "The Pathless Forest" is the closest the album gets to bad, but after such a strong beginning, it's hard not to compare the rest of the record to the opening track. 

Carnifex are likely to remain flying just under people's radars despite some strong audio arguments in albums like Necromanteum, but this is likely to be a contender for best deathcore release of the year, which is saying something given the crowded field this year.